Amusement device.



No. 842,058. I PATENTED JAN. 22, 1907. H. s. BASSETT.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8. 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oEEioE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Jan. 22, 1907.

Application filed November 8, 1906. Serial 1%. 342.51%

10 (LU whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN S. BASSETT, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Edwall, in the county of Lincoln and State of Washington, have invented a new and Improved Amusement Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip tion.

This invention relates to that class of amusement devices designed for the production of peculiar sounds, and more particularly to devices in which the sound is produced by the vibration of a thin strip of material when exposed to the influence of a blast of air.

The object of theinvention is to produce a very simple and inexpensive device which may be carried in the pocket and upon which sounds may be produced by inserting the device between the lips and blowing through the same.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the com plete device. Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the same intermediate its ends and looking in the direction of the open end, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the entire device as it'appears when not in use.

The device comprises asingle strip of thin metal bent intermediate its ends and having a rubber band or a strip of other similar material secured between the opposite sides of the metal strip at the bend and having its opposite end free. Preferably the metal strip is bent at a point 1, and the opposite sides of the metal at the bend are forced tight enough together to closely grip the end 2 of the rubber band between to securely hold the latter in place. The folded portion is again doubled at a point '3 adjacent the end to more securely hold the parts in the desired fixed relationship. One of the ends 4 of the metal strip is slightly longer than the other, and the other end is provided with two short cuts or slits to form three prongs or fingers at the end. The two outer prongs or fingers 5 are folded back upon themselves to form projections adapted to contact with the op posite end 4, so that when the two ends of the strip are brought together the said proj ections will prevent the parts from normally contacting along their intermediate portions. The central portion 6 intermediate the two prongs or fingers 5 extends in the same straight line with the body portion of the strip, and as it is spaced from the opposite end 4 of the metal strip a free space is left for the bend, as clearly indicated in Fig. 2. By pressing the central portion 6 and the end 4 together the vibrating strip may be held from contracting.

In the use of the device above described the two opposite ends of the metal strip are brought together with the band 7 passing through between the two projections 5, and

the body portion intermediate the two ends is inserted between the lips. By blowing through between the two opposite parts of the metal strip the band 7 or other reed is caused to vibrate and produce the desired sound. The quality and nature of the sound may be varied by varying the tension of the vibrator or by pressing the two opposite sides of themetal strip nearer together to vary the distance through which it may vibrate. As the band or reed passes freely between the prongs 5 there is nothing to interfere with the extension and contraction of the reed by pulling on the free end thereof, as indicated in Figure 1, and as the metal strip is made very thin, and consequently very flexible, the intermediate portion may be easily pressed toward the reed by the lips and without the aid of the hand.

It is of course evident that two separate strips may be employed and secured together at their ends, instead of employing a single strip and folding it at the center, and in the claims I desire the term two strips to mean either two separate strips or one strip folded at the center to form two portions. Either a rubber band may be employed to produce the sound or any other material capable of vibrating under the influence of a blast of air and also preferably capable of being extended to increase the tension.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- ,1. In a device of the class described, the combination of two flexible strips secured together at one end, a vibrating member secured to said strips at the closed end, and means whereby the tension of the vibrating member may be varied at will.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of two metal strips secured together at one end, a vibrating strip having one end inclosed between the secured ends of the strips and having its opposite end free, and means whereby when the free ends of the strips are brought together, the vibrating strip may be held in place but. free to have its tension varied at will.

3. In combination, two flexible metal strips, and a vibrating device, all secured together at one end and having their opposite ends free, the end of one of the metal strips being so constructed that when the free ends of the metal strips are brought together, the vibrating device may be extended and contracted at will.

5. In combination, two flexible metal strips, and a rubber band, all secured together at one end and having their opposite ends free, the free end of one ofsaid strips being provided with two longitudinal slits, and having the portions on the outer sides of said slits bent at an angle and adapted to contact with the other metal strip, whereby a passage is formed between said side portions to receive the rubber band.

6. In combination, two metal strips, and an extensible vibrating member, all secured together at one end and having their opposite ends free, the free end of one of said metal strips having its edge portions bent out of alinement and adapted to contact with the free end of the other strip to form a passage, whereby the tension of the extensible vibrating member may be varied at will.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HE RMAN S. BASSETT.

Witnesses:

LLOYD LIGHTHIZER, WARD JEssEPH. 

